Snowpiercer, a Frozen Story
by Espiritu Invictus
Summary: Queen Elsa has been on the throne for a little over a year.. The past of how Elsa's family came to throne may be the undoing of the Queen herself as those who have been wronged seek revenge. Strange and cruel rituals, mysterious lands, and a man with ice in his heart will just be a taste of what is to come. Read and Review, please!
1. A New Adventure

**Snowpiercer, A Frozen Story**

Chapter One: A New Adventure

A blanket of gold, reds, oranges, and greens covered the rolling hills of Arendelle. The lake, too, reflected these beautiful colors, and all those who sailed into port felt like they were entering a dream world. The fields were brown, ready for harvest. All along the countryside, villagers could be seen in their fields cutting down wheat with their sickles, plucking potatoes, and tending to the livestock. Arendelle was busy preparing for harvest.

Things were also busy at the Palace of Arendelle. The young monarch, Queen Elsa, had been sitting upon the throne for just a little over a year now. While the beginning of her reign had been a little interesting, to say the least, in due time, she had proven herself to be a more than capable ruler and a worthy heir to the throne of Arendelle.

The young Queen Elsa dipped her quill into the inkwell and continued writing her message to the royal family in Iberia for the recent loss of their Queen mother. "_I wish to offer you my deepest condolences for your loss." _She paused for a moment as the warm afternoon sunlight flooded over her. She looked up towards the fireplace in the room. Above it rested a fine portrait of her father and mother, finished not long after their untimely deaths. Elsa's eyes drifted back to the parchment. _"I know that there are no words that can ease the grief in your hearts, but I sincerely hope that you are comforted this this time by the warm thoughts of those around you." _After a few more sentences, she signed her name at the bottom and sealed the parchment with the official seal of Arendelle.

Another letter finished, and only seventeen more to answer. Elsa sighed as she looked at the stacks of parchments and piles of scrolls waiting for her attention. No matter how diligent she was to keep up with the demands, it always seemed like more came. She gently sighed as the situation reminded her of an old story her father used to read to her—Hercules and the Hydra. When one head was cut off, two would grow back. She glanced at the letters—when one was answered, two more arrived.

A knock came at the door of the study. The Queen looked up. "Yes, Kai?" She almost winced at the sight of him, wondering if he had more letters to deliver.

"Your Majesty, I wished to remind you of your appointment…"

"Drackenberg!" Elsa dropped her quill, splotching ink over the top of her desk. Her eyes darted over to the tall grandfather clock in her study. Elsa quickly set her parchments and books aside and began cleaning up the mess.

"I'll take care of it, your Majesty," Kai came forward to begin cleaning up the mess. "I've already prepared the conference room for your use."

Elsa gave a small sigh of a relief, a smile creeping up on her tired face. "What would Arendelle do without you, Kai?"

"I imagine it would meet disaster by nightfall," He chuckled, heartily.

Elsa smiled and bid him goodbye with a small nod. She walked speedily, for Queens do not run, down the hallways and stairwells of the palace to reach the first floor. Guests were frequently entertained in the conference room adjacent to the grand foyer and staircase.

"Your Majesty!" Two palace guards saluted her as she approached the large oak doors of the conference room. She nodded her head slightly, and they opened the doors for her.

The large wooden doors opened up into the lavishly decorated conference room. Carpets as blue as the sea sprawled across the floor while the walls were trimmed in the finest dark woods and intricate carvings for which Arendelle was so famously known. The warm afternoon sunlight poured into the room from the large windows on the west wall. The spacious room contained lots of comfortable sofas and armchairs, desks and tables for examining documents and maps, and plenty of smaller tables decorated with finely woven doilies for taking tea. The room was empty. Thank goodness!

Elsa's eyes instinctively went to the clock again. She had a couple of minutes to spare. Four chairs were organized around a round coffee table with a silver tea set. She sat down in the closest chair and looked at the empty one next to her. Anna was supposed to be here. Elsa paused in thought for a moment, feeling a twinge of guilt twist her stomach. She had barely seen Anna in the past couple of days. She had been so busy with trade agreements and revising tax laws that she had forgotten to connect with Anna.

A knock struck against the door. Elsa, sighed as she rose. Anna never knocked, so that could only mean that it was the delegation from Drackenberg—right on time, of course. (The people of Drackenberg were known for their punctuality.) The Queen quickly smoothed out her long teal dress then reached up to make sure the strains of her platinum blonde hair were in their proper place as well. She gently cleared her throat. "You may enter."

Kai, servant to the royal family for many years, extended his arm forward, ushering in two finely dressed gentlemen. "Your Majesty," He bowed when he saw his Queen. "I present, Prince Severin of Drackenberg and Ambassador Volker of Drackenberg."

The Prince, dressed in a dark blue jacket trimmed in gold and red, came forward and bowed to the Queen. The Queen returned the gesture with a small bow of her head and a curtsy. "Please sit down, gentlemen." She motioned her hand towards the armchairs across from her. She took her seat as well.

"May I offer you gentlemen some tea?" Elsa motioned to the silver tea set sitting on the small table between them. When they both complied, Kai began preparing the tea for the company.

"Rumor has it that the Queen of Arendelle thoroughly enjoys her tea," The Ambassador spoke up, as he received his cup and saucer from Kai.

Elsa was about to take a drink, but she paused. "Usually, I dismiss rumors as not worth my time and concern, but this one, I cannot deny," She smiled, graciously.

The Ambassador gave a polite chuckle and nodded. "It is good to know that the chamomile tea that we have brought from Drackenberg for your Majesty's pleasure will not go to waste."

"Thank you for your generosity. It most certainly will not." Elsa took another sip of her tea. The Ambassador, who she had only met once previously, seemed cordial enough, but the Prince remained rather quiet, yet attentive to the conversation thus far.

The Prince sat in his seat, holding his saucer on his lap, while leaning back into the plush chair. His gaze remained rather uncomfortably fixed on Elsa herself.

Elsa avoided the gaze of his earthy brown eyes and set her tea in her lap, but still, it was her duty to make conversation. "I hear it is your first time to Arendelle, Prince Severin."

"Ah, yes," The Prince spoke up, as if he were not shy at all. "It is the first time I've had the privilege of visiting this beautiful country. Forgive me for relying on rumors once again, your Majesty, but I've also heard it said that,_ 'the only thing that rivals the beauty of Arendelle is the beauty of its Queen.' _Now, I see this rumor to be quite true."

The cheeks of Elsa's porcelain white skin flushed. "You are much too kind, Prince Severin." She took this moment to stir in more sugar to her cup of tea—a lot more sugar.

The Ambassador shook for a brief moment as he felt a sudden chill run up his spine. He mumbled a quiet apology, looked around the room, and then continued drinking his tea.

Prince Severin reached up and stroked his charcoal black beard and mustache, propping his elbow on the armrest and leaning in further. His steely gaze remained upon the Queen.

Elsa glanced up for a moment, to check if the Prince was still staring, and he was, so she averted her eyes once more. She could hardly stir any more sugar into the tea so she pulled the spoon out and looked up to Ambassador Volker. "I assume that you requested this meeting to discuss some matter of business, Ambassador. Is everything well at the Drackenberg Embassy?"

"Ah well," The Ambassador sat up in his seat. "When I found out the Prince was going to pay us a visit…"

"I requested to have an audience with the Queen of Arendelle," The Prince said.

"Oh, is that so?" Elsa said. "What can I do for you, your Highness?"

"I'm glad you asked," Prince Severin sat up in his chair with a bold smile. "My short time in Arendelle has given me the privilege of experiencing the wonders of this tiny Kingdom. Drackenberg and Arendelle have enjoyed cordial relations in the past, but I think it is time that stronger alliances and bonds are formed between our two kingdoms."

Elsa tried her best to keep her attention on the Prince, but the way his eyes seemed to bore a hole right into her, she sought relief anyway possible by glancing around at random objects in the room, down to her shoes, or to the silver tea set on the table. Maybe she should add some more tea to her cup of sugar?

"And how would you propose our two kingdoms create a stronger alliance?" She asked, trying to sound casual.

"By just that," Prince Severin said. "A proposal."

She should have seen that one coming.

The Prince sat on the edge of his seat and leaned in towards the Queen. "I would like to see our two kingdoms united in marriage. As the second son to the King of Drackenberg, I would be honored to unite with Arendelle's queen in marriage." He kept his chocolate brown eyes on her, waiting for a response.

Elsa quickly put her tea cup to her lips, only to find that her sugar tea was frozen solid.

The fireplace started flickering wildly. Both the Ambassador and the Prince glanced around the room. The Prince exhaled, and then watched his breath float out before him.

"Oh my," was all the Ambassador could say.

Elsa's chair and completely frozen over, covered in a thin layer of sparkly frost. She hastily set her teacup and saucer down on the silver tea tray. "I'm sorry about that…" She stuttered. "I'll take care of it." She waved her hand out in front of her to warm the temperature of the room. Instead, she froze over the entire tea set and table.

"I see." The Prince slowly put his tea set down on the frozen table and then leaned back. He rose up from his chair and the Ambassador quickly followed. "Thank you for hosting us for tea, your Majesty, but we really must be returning to the Drackenberg Embassy now. We have much work to do there if we are to get our trade ships out of port by winter."

"Oh, well, I…um…" Elsa stammered. "I understand. The needs of the people never cease."

"Ah, yes, indeed they do not," The Prince said, slowly backing away.

"Enjoy the chamomile tea, your Majesty," Ambassador Volker backed away in tow with the Prince. He bowed as he came close to the door.

Before Elsa really was able to process what happened, the two guests from Drackenberg had already left the room. She glanced around for a moment. The tea tray and her seat were still frozen. She sighed and waved her hand, unfreezing them.

The grandfather clock struck three o'clock. This had to be a new record of scaring foreign dignitaries away from the palace. At least Anna wasn't here to tease her about it. Elsa put her head in her hands.

"Is everything alright, your Majesty?" Kai entered the room, even before the doors could stop swinging from Drackenberg's exit.

"Yes, everything is alright." She sighed and put her hands down in her lap. She looked up at Kai with a renewed, but forced, smile; however, she immediately frowned at the sight of his solemn face. "What's wrong?"

"Your Majesty, your sister wishes to see you. She says it's urgent," Kai said.

"Did she say what she wanted?" Elsa rose up from her seat.

"No, your Majesty. She sent one of the maids to come for me first. She said that your presence was required in her bedchambers."

Elsa's eyebrows furrowed even more. The last time Anna requested for the Queen's presence urgently was when she had broken one of palace statues and felt horribly guilty about it.

Kai led the way to Princess Anna's room. They arrived at Anna's bedchambers with a whole crowd of maids and servants crowding the doorway. Kai announced the Queen's presence, and the maids and staff scurried out of the way. Elsa came into the room and saw her sister lying in bed.

"You look horrible," Elsa gasped.

"Thanks, Els." Anna said, sounding like someone was pinching her nose. Her puffy red eyes contrasted horribly with her unusually pale white skin. A few of the servant girls continued moving around the floor, trying to clean up after Anna's sick.

"Oh, Anna, why didn't you tell me sooner?" Elsa bit her lip. _Oh why hadn't she checked on Anna earlier? _

"Didn't want to worry you," Anna sniffled. "I thought I'd be able to pull through it, you know: get some rest, stay inside, drink some tea—obviously not."

Elsa pushed through the horrid smell and sat down on the bed next to Anna. She put her hand over her sister's warm forehead and brushed the locks of strawberry red hair out of Anna's face.

"I'm so sorry, Els. I know you were counting on me and…"

"Hush," Elsa said. "I'm sure it wasn't your intention to fall ill." Elsa's eyes narrowed, playfully. "Or was it?"

"You know me," Anna half-coughed half-snickered at the same time. "But seriously, what are we going to do? I missed the Drackenberg appointment…"

"You didn't miss much there," Elsa glanced away. The only thing Anna missed was a perfectly good story to tease Elsa with for the rest of their lives.

"…and I'm not going to be able to go to Albion," Anna reached up and blew her nose.

Elsa sighed and looked out the window for a moment. Anna was set to sail tomorrow for Albion. It was the Princess' first diplomatic mission, one that would be of importance to both kingdoms if everything went well.

"You know how those Albion royals are," Anna continued. "They get really offended over the slightest things. If I don't show up there, they probably won't talk to us ever again."

"There are worse things in the world." Elsa continued to dote on her sister. "I suppose I'll have to go in your stead."

Anna's eyes opened wide. "Are you sure? I mean, wasn't the whole reason of me going in the first place was so I could help you out?"

"Yes, and when you're well again, I'll make sure I put you to good use." The Queen playfully poked Anna's shoulder. "I don't like the idea of leaving you behind when you're sick though."

"Oh, I'll be fine." Anna waved her hand. "Kristoff and Olaf can look after me. Plus, you know, Kai and Gerda are always here."

"Fine. You'll just have to tell that Mountain Man of yours to get down here and take care of you instead of chasing after the next ice haul," Elsa teased.

"And who was it that named him '_Royal Ice Master and Deliverer?'"_

"You _do_ have a point there."

Anna laughed heartily until her sore throat got the best of her. She coughed for a few moments before settling down.

"Easy, now." The Queen stopped chuckling.

Anna sighed contently as her eyelids started to droop. "Kristoff's a good man. He always takes care of me."

"And for that, I like him." The Queen pulled the quilt over Anna higher.

Anna closed her eyes, feeling exhaustion overtake her. "I hope you can find someone like Kristoff, Els."

Elsa tensed. "Um…"

"You know," Anna yawned. "…someone who will love you always and take care of you when you need it."

"That's what I have you for, little sister." Elsa stood up and tucked the quilt around her sister's body tighter.

"That's not…" Anna yawned again. "…what I mean."

"Sleep, Anna."

"Okay." Anna was out like a candle.

Elsa towered above her sister and watched as her baby sister fell into deep slumber. She then turned back towards the door. She instructed the castle staff to take care of Anna, and then she headed to her own bedchambers. She had packing to do if she was to be ready to sail for Albion by morning.

* * *

The Queen, wearing a dark blue traveling dress with silver buttons and clasps, stood waiting in the grand foyer of the palace early that morning. The sun had barely woken up, but Elsa was scheduled to leave at the crack of dawn. However, her sister had no concept of what sunrise meant. Elsa stood in the large foyer waiting for her sister to come and say goodbye.

"Your Majesty, you belongings have already been taken down to the docks. They are being loaded as we speak." Kai said, while moving past her to attend to another task.

The Queen nodded. "Thank you, Kai."

Like many other rooms of the palace, the grand foyer was filled with colorful paintings and portraits of long deceased family members. As Elsa gently paced down the wall, she stopped before one particular painting.

A man, bearing similar features to her father, stood proud and regal with a crown upon his head and the royal scepter in his hands. Elsa, too, held these items at her own coronation as well as her father and those who came before. His hair was darker and so were his eyes, but the cheekbones left no doubt. This man was an echo of Elsa's past. Elsa's eyes trailed downward to the golden plaque placed on the wood frame: _King Leifr Tryggvason, First King of the Saffron Dynasty. _ This was beginning of Elsa's family as rulers of Arendelle.

The doors at the top of the stairs cracked open. Elsa turned and looked up the staircase.

"Easy now, your Majesty. Easy." Gerda said as she hovered over Princess Anna, making sure the girl didn't trip and fall over the stairs.

A bemused smirk appeared on Elsa's face as she watched her sister, walking like a zombie, approach. The younger girl's hair shot up in all directions, and her eyes seemed sewn shut. "I really think you should have let me come to your room," Elsa called out.

"Non…sense," Anna yawned between syllables. She reached the end of the end of the stairs and rubbed her tired eyes. "My sister is going on a trip. The least I could do…"

"…is drag yourself out of bed when you have the flu," Elsa interjected, crossing arms over her chest.

Anna wrapped her robe tighter around her body. "I wanted to say goodbye," She paused for a moment, biting her lip. "…properly."

Elsa gently sighed, feeling grief and compassion wash over her all at once. Without words, the two sisters embrace one another tightly.

Anna nuzzled her head into the crook of Elsa's neck. "Please come back to me," Anna said, barely above a whisper, echoing the fear of losing yet another loved one to the sea.

"I will." The forming tears in Elsa's blue eyes froze before they could roll down her face. After a few more moments of tenderness, Elsa pulled away, running her hands down Anna's arms. She then reached up and adjusted the collar of Anna's robes. "Please do not burn the palace down while I am absent."

"No promises," Anna said, sniffling from her cold. "Especially with this fever and all."

"No wild parties either."

"It wouldn't be a wild party without you."

Elsa smirked. "Take care of yourself."

"I love you," Anna was overcome with her emotions, letting two tears roll down her sickly reddened cheeks. Elsa repeated those three words back.

"Your Majesty," Kai approached. "Are you ready for your escort down to the docks?"

Elsa turned to him and nodded. "Yes, I'm ready." She gave her sister one last smile and left with a polite bow.

* * *

The docks were brimming with life and energy. Conversations, business deals, and laughter filled the air as the people of Arendelle worked diligently to support their families and their country. They, of course, found time to take a break when they saw that their beloved monarch was passing through the crowds.

At the far end of the docks, the HMS Falken awaited Her Majesty. It was a fine brig with two very tall masts that reached high up into the blue sky; the clean, white sails looked like the clouds above. The crew of the ship was neatly dressed in forest green coats trimmed in purple and gold, white pants, black boots, and small black caps. The small crew of twelve was a fine example of Arendelle's Royal Navy.

Once the crew heard the news that the Queen was approaching, they doubled their efforts and worked to make sure that everything was perfect. Elsa began her ascend up the loading ramp of the ship.

A short and wiry man, with greying hair and beard, reached out his hand as Elsa approached. She reached out and took it, allowing herself to be helped onto the ship. "Welcome, aboard, your Majesty," The man said.

"Thank you."

"The name's Captain Algren, your Majesty." He bowed to her. "The Falken, the men, and I are all at your service."

The crew, who were bustling up and down the deck, stopped and bowed to the Queen. "Your Majesty," they chorused in unison before returning to work.

"The Falken is ready to depart when you are, your Majesty." He began walking across the deck, motioning for the Queen to follow him. "Depending on the seas, we should arrive in Albion within four to six days."

"Good," Elsa said. "Let's set sail as soon as possible." Elsa looked back to the docks—_they should leave before she could change her mind about this whole sailing business and run back to land, _she thought.

"Right, your Majesty." The Captain extended his arm. "Let me show you to your quarters and then we'll be off."

* * *

Despite the fact that she had been Queen for almost a year now, she still could be humbled by the display of loyalty and kindness her subjects showed her. She was given the Captain's quarters as her room for the trip, and her belonging were properly moved and carefully placed inside.

After taking the Queen to her quarters for the journey, the Captain left the room and immediately started hollering for the sails to be let loose. Elsa heard the furious stopping of feet run up and down the deck as the sailors obeyed their captain.

Elsa sat down on the rich red velvet blanket that covered the bed. She didn't like sailing, that's for sure, but she sure wasn't going to sit in this room the whole trip. Quickly, Elsa got up and started scrambling through her trunks. The Queen hurriedly tore out of her thick traveling dress and found something more appropriate for being up on deck with the sailors. She put on a pair of grey leggings with a royal blue skirt. A loose flowing white shirt adored her upper body along with a leather girdle strapped around her midsection. She slipped on a pair of short leather boots and headed out the door to the deck.

The ship was already beginning to maneuver out of his position at the docks. The gentle morning wind started to tickle her face.

"Full sails!"

Elsa stood for a moment, watching the crew scurry around the decks, pulling and tugging at long ropes that reached high up into the ship's sails. Elsa took her first step forward gingerly, but with each step, she grew bolder. The crew started to notice that the Queen was on deck. Surprised looks would appear on their faces at the sight of her, but they often would quickly settle into a smile.

The sails were quickly up, and the ship started speeding into Arendelle's harbor. The tall snowy peaks that walled the fjord off looked stunning in the morning sunlight. Elsa went to the starboard side of the deck and leaned over to look into the water. Her eyes then turned forward, as her locks of platinum blonde hair started to dance across her forehead. In the distance, where the mountains opened up, she could see the deep blue sea. She took a deep contented breath of fresh air. Perhaps this little adventure to Albion wouldn't be so bad after all.


	2. Into the Mist

**Hello, everyone! I forgot to clarify that this fanfiction story has nothing to do with trains or the film Snowpiercer. I like the word itself, and it will take on an entirely different meaning in this story. I hope that everyone is enjoying the story. Let me know what you think about it. Thanks!**

* * *

**Snowpiercer, A Frozen Story**

Chapter Two: Into the Mist

_ It was dark, and she was standing in her little blue nightgown. She clutched onto her father's leg, terrified. Terrified that she had hurt her sister beyond repair and terrified that she damaged the relationship she had with her parents. Still, she couldn't help but hold onto the man who raised her. _

_ "Your Majesty," A round-faced stone bowed before her father while taking ahold of her own hand. "Born with the powers? Or cursed?"_

_ "B-born," The King stuttered. "And they're getting stronger." _

_ The worried Queen kneeled down. The Queen held onto her little daughter tightly, but presented her before the trolls. _

_ Grand Pabbie placed his hand on Anna's forehead and soon, he worked his magic—reshaping Anna's memories to know about Elsa's magic no more. _

_ Elsa's heart sunk even further, if it were possible. The one thing that Anna seemed to love the most about her would be gone. No more freezing over the great hall, no more snowball fights in the summer, no more skating down the hallways, and no more snowmen. "But she won't remember I have powers?" Elsa spoke up. _

_ "It's for the best," The King said, gently, placing a reassuring hand on his daughter's shoulder. _

_ Grand Pabbie turned slowly, sighing heavily. "Listen to me, Elsa. Your power will only grow." Is hands rose to the sky and swirls of color and light begun to dance from his hands._

_ The young girl's eyes melded into the images. While the others saw swirls and outlines of a story taking place, Elsa saw the future. She saw herself, older and more mature, using her powers to create such beautiful works of art. _

_ "There is beauty in it…" The old troll said. "But there is also great danger." _

_ The swirling hues of blues, greens, and whites turned into violent shades of purple and red. Suddenly, she was surrounded by hostile force wishing to seek her life. _

"_You must learn to control it. Fear will be your enemy."_

_The dark colors swarmed around her and overtook her. _

_Elsa let out a gasp and tucked her head into her father's embrace. _

_The images were gone for everyone else, but they still burned in Elsa's eyes. Grey mists swirled in her mind's eye. Far away in the darkness was a pair of glowing eyes—eyes that glowed the most beautiful but unnatural blue. The owner of the eyes approached with heavy footsteps towards her._

"_Beware the Frozen Heart," The mist whispered to her. _

"_No!" The King exclaimed. "We'll protect her." She can learn to control it, I'm sure." _

_Elsa jolted back into reality from hearing her father's strong and determined voice. _

"_Til then, we lock the gates." _

_Beware the Frozen Heart._ Those words whispered into Elsa's heart just before waking. Then, she started to notice the gentle rocking back and forth of the ocean. Her eyes open up and glanced around the room. Even though it was her second night in the Captain's cabin, it still felt strange to wake up there.

Usually when Elsa woke up, she immediately sprung out of bed to start the day but not today. She remained there, with her cheek pressed against the mattress, weighted down by thoughts and feelings. She had often dreamed of the night that she most deeply regretted, the night she accidentally struck Anna with her powers, but it hadn't appeared in her dreams since Anna and her were reunited.

Had she not come full circle? Had she not, for the most part beside the occasional accident or two, learn to control her powers? Her mind replayed the events of that over and over again. Grand Pabbie had told her the future—two destinies that could possibly happen: one of her learning to her control her powers and to harness its beauty and the other letting fear overtake her. Elsa remembered that horrible moment in the vision where those around her overpowered her and sought her destruction. She remembered how visions continued to burn in her sight even after closing her eyes.

Elsa closed her eyes again, shutting out the captain's cabin from view. She concentrated, trying to remember what she saw after she closed her eyes those many years ago. It was difficult to remember—like a fog or a mist. That was all that was there—darkness and grey mist. But soon, a pair of glowing eyes appeared. How could anything be that blue? It reminded her of her own magic—the beautiful glow that would light up the night. Footsteps echoed through the mist as the eyes seemed to be coming closer. Soon, a dark silhouette appeared in the mist—tall, large, and imposing.

That was all she saw before she gasped in fear and her eyes fluttered open again. Seconds later, Elsa heard the sounds of the crew on deck at work. She figured she better get out of bed and start the day instead of dwelling on the past.

* * *

It was day three on the open seas, and as the wind blew the loose locks of platinum hair across her forehead, Elsa began to believe that the sea wasn't so bad. It was difficult at first, having dark thoughts about her parents' watery grave, but everything seemed so calm and peaceful.

Are you faring well, your Majesty?" A young voice called out.

Elsa turned her head back. "Hello, Anders," She said cheerfully.

"Fine morning, isn't it?" He said, rests against the hull of the ship next to the Queen.

Elsa nodded in agreement.

"Captain says if the winds continue like this, we'll reach Albion by the day after tomorrow." The young Sailor reached out his hand towards the horizon. "I can't wait. I've never been to Albion before."

"You've never been anywhere before!" One of the other sailors called out from above.

The other sailors nearby laughed. Elsa fought to suppress a giggle as well.

"You're just jealous of my youth, old man!" Anders looked upward towards the crow's nest and yelled. He turned back to the Queen. "Nevermind them, your Majesty. They're a bunch of idiots."

Elsa laughed. They turned their attention back to the ocean. Elsa liked the young sailor. He looked barely a day over eighteen, but the first thing he did when he came of age was sign up for the royal navy. Two years of sailing would earn him enough gold to propose to his childhood sweetheart. With his beautiful singing voice, his chipper attitude, and young-hearted innocence, Anders held a special place on the crew. In a lot of ways, Elsa thought, he reminded her of Anna.

"Anders, stop flirting with the Queen and go check on the riggings!"

Anders race went red. "I wasn't…I…was just…"

"It's alright," Elsa stood up from leaning against the hull. "I think I'll prepare some tea anyway." She departed from the bow of the ship and headed down the middle of the deck towards the Captain's captain. As she approached, she saw Captain Algren at the helm, steering the ship with one hand and using the other to sip from a teacup.

"Care for some tea, your Majesty?" He called down to her.

"You read my mind, Captain." She headed up the small stair way to the quarterdeck. There was a small table set up with tea and biscuits prepared. Two other sailors, Bernhard and Rolf, rose up from their seats and escorted the Queen into a chair before returning to their seats.

The four of them quietly enjoyed tea for a while before Elsa spoke up. "How long have you all been sailing together?"

Rolf's mouth was full of biscuits so Bernhard, a more serious individual, answered for him. "Both Rolf and I have been with the Falken for three years now, Your Majesty.. The Falken's been in business for about seven years now."

"Yes, sir." The Captain said proudly. "The Falken's the most reliable ship in your fleet, your Majesty."

"Good to know," Elsa said.

"This old girl and I have been through it all," He patted the center of the wheel. "She's a beauty."

"Don't let your wife hear you talking like that, Captain," Rolf snickered.

Even Bernard cracked a smile at that one.

"Speaking of which, the Mrs. Informed me that she desires a gift from our most recent expedition."

"How about a new cast-iron pan? Albion's got lots of iron mines and they're famous for their ironworks," Rolf said.

"That, my boy…" The Captain said. "…is why _you_ are not married."

Elsa laughed again—these sailors were too much.

"I say jewelry," Another sailor walked up the stairs to the quarterdeck. "Can't go wrong with jewelry. Women love the stuff."

"This is a good suggestion." The Captain reached up and rubbed his greying beard, thinking.

Elsa thought about the question for a moment—if she were in this situation, what would she want her husband to give her? Then her stomach seemed to notice that it was on the sea as an uncomfortable feeling swirled around. She could just picture it—some man standing behind her. He puts his arms around her, trying to put a necklace around her neck, and then, she accidentally freezes him. She sighed. She could never be that close to anyone without hurting them—she just knew it.

"What do your royal suitors usually gift to you, your Majesty?" Rolf asked.

Elsa snapped out of her thoughts and replied. "Tribute or portions of land in their home countries— you know, the usual." She said, smirking. The truth was she managed to scare off all of her royal suitors before gifts were exchanged—unless one counted the tea from Drackenberg she received a few days ago.

"I'm afraid all you'll get is a pan from, Rolf," The Captain said. "Hope you like to cook, Your Majesty."

* * *

The stars, beautiful and bright, were shining above them that night. The moon was covered in darkness, but the crew of the ship lit up the night by creating a large bonfire on deck. As they ate their dinner, the Queen, the Captain, and the crew sat around the fire.

Elsa smiled, as the crew continually entertaining her with jokes and stories. She couldn't remember feeling this relaxed in such a long time, perhaps never she even thought to herself. Somehow, in a matter of a few shorts days, she felt like she belonged on the ship as one of them.

Yet, they still called her "_Your Majesty,"_ every time they spoke to her, even when teasing her. While the twins, Jakob and Joakim were demonstrating their lousy juggling routine, Rolf spoke up, adding the formal, "Your Majesty," to it. "Your Majesty," He glanced around at the other members of the crew. "Would you…" He almost looked sheepish.

"Yes?" She encouraged him to speak.

"…do your magic stuff?" He asked, his eyes twinkling like a little kid.

The other sailors looked just as excited.

"Hey," Joakim and Jakob said, still trying to juggle wooden pins. Jakob then preceded to drop one on his foot.

"Now, now, boys," Captain Algren stood up from leaning against the mast. "I'm sure the Queen is tired after a hard day of sailing."

"Ah, yes," Rolf said. "She is rather delicate." Before he knew it, Rolf had a snowball hit him straight in the face. The entire crew burst into laughter.

"Incredible!" Anders stared wide-eyed. "I've never seen anything like it!"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," Rolf griped.

"No, I mean the ice powers!" Anders snapped.

"Nobody's seen anything like it," Bernhard spoke up.

"And that's why we have the best Queen in the world," One of the sailors hollered, raising his glass in a toast to Elsa. The other sailors cheered heartily. Elsa blushed at their kindness and enthusiasm.

A few moments of silence settled between them before Anders started leading the crew in a sea shanty. The others joined along with their deep voices. The songs hung in the night air, lulling everyone into peaceful relaxation. It wasn't long before Elsa decided to turn in for bed.

* * *

The night did not remain peaceful however. A few hours after going to bed, the waves started tossing the Falken back and forth. She was woken from her sleep by the crack of thunder and the wind's relentless howl. Elsa tried to close her eyes and just sleep through the storm, but not much longer, the Captain came knocking at her door. He informed her that they were in for a rough night and to be prepared. Then, it was back to restless sleep and dreams.

It seemed like pounding of the waves would never end. Somewhere between brief moments of sleep and tossing and turning, the seas began to settle down. She finally managed to settle in for a few hours of sleep.

When she woke up, the ship was eerily quiet. Exhausted, she pulled herself out of bed and changed her clothes. When she opened the door, fog poured into the room. The morning mist was thick and heavy. She stepped out onto the deck. There was an unexplainable heaviness in the air. She looked up the deck, not seeing a soul. She turned to her left and headed up the stairs to the quarterdeck. The Captain was at the helm, clenching the handles of the wheel.

"Is everything alright, Captain Algren?" Elsa called to him.

He looked at her, eyes tired and worn. "The fog, Your Majesty." He turned his head, hoping to see anything past the hull of the ship. "These conditions are dangerous, for one thing, and for another, last night's blasted storm tossed us around so much that I have no idea what our current position is."

Suddenly, a loud low-pitched blast came from above. Elsa looked up. Someone was high up in the crow's nest blowing on a longhorn.

Rolf was at the helm with the Captain. "We'll signal every couple of minutes and in the meantime, we'll listen for anyone else's signal, Your Majesty."

Anders came up the stairs to the quarterdeck. "Still no visibility, Captain."

The Captain held in his curse words at the presence of the Queen, but his eyebrows still hunched over his darkened eyes.

Anders nodded to the Queen with a gentle smile then turned around to make his rounds to all the lookouts once again.

Elsa looked forward towards the bow of the ship, looking at the same view as the Captain. Only about half of the deck could be made out in the fog. Her eyebrows furrowed as she thought about the situation. Then quickly, she spun on her heel towards the Captain. "What if I head to the front of the boat and cast some ice blocks into the fog? We can listen to see if they land in the water or hit rocks."

The Captain raised one hand to his chin and stroked his beard. "This may give us a little leeway time to react if we're heading towards the rocks." He nodded. "Rolf, take the Queen to the front of the ship!"

"Yes, sir!"

Moments later, Elsa found herself at the front of the ship firing off ice shards into the invisible mists before them. It took a few practices to see just how far Elsa could shoot the ice with it still being in hearing range. For the next couple of hours, Elsa formed ice projectiles and fired them off into the sea.

Elsa fired another, but this time, there wasn't a splash. There was a dull thud. The Captain was alerted immediately, and he hollered for the crew to stop the ship so further investigation could take place. The Captain came down from the helm and began to walk across the deck towards the bow.

It had been quiet for the most part as they passed through the fog, but slowly and quietly, voices seemed to flutter upon the wind. The sailors looked at one another, curious as to what the sound could be, and then suddenly, they all seemed to realize what it was at once.

On the starboard side, glowing orange lights appeared in a line. As quickly as they appeared, the lights moved and grew brighter. A flaming arrow flew overhead and pierced through one of the sails. Roars full of excitement and bloodlust filled the air.

"Quick…" Captain Algren began. Another arrow flew at the ship, and it pierced him right through the chest. He dropped to his knees, choking on his last words.

"Captain Algren!" Elsa cried out.

"We're under attack!" One of the sailors yelled just as something massive slammed into the starboard side of the boat. A large dragon head, carved from wood, rose high above the hull of the Falken, almost as if it came out of the mist. It was another ship, the likes of which haven't been seen in hundreds of years.

Arrows rained down on the deck, striking more of the crew. Strange warriors leapt off the dragon ship onto the deck of the Falken. They were clad in steel and carried round shields. Their hair and beards were long and unkept by the standards of Arendelle. They wore furs for capes and shawls around their shoulders, and their gauntlets and leg wrappings were leather.

Elsa felt an arm pull her backwards. She fell to the ground, smacking her hands against the wood. Just as quickly, she was pulled up right into a sitting position. "Your Majesty!" Anders cried out, once they were hidden behind some crates.

"Anders!" Elsa said, in a hushed gasp. "Don't call me that!" She looked around frantically. "We can't let these people know who I am!" She reached up for the golden tiara in her hair, and she threw it overboard into the mist. "It's too dangerous!"

Anders pulled out the knife he kept strapped to his calf. "I have to do something. I have to fight…" He started to stand up.

"Anders, no!" Elsa called out.

The boy barely stood up before behind shot with an arrow. He fell backwards as the arrow pierced through his left shoulder, right under his collarbone. He landed on Elsa as she screamed his name.

"Anders!" She called, trying to calm the boy as he trembled. "You'll be alright. You'll be alright. Just listen to me. Calm down."

"Well, well, well," A voice said. "Look what we have here."

Elsa looked up while still holding onto the trembling young sailor. A large man towered before her. His muscular chest and arms were bare, showing his boldness and prowess in combat. His beard was dark and braided. Long locks of brown hair tumbled out his steel helmet. His eyes were ravenous and hungry, like a wolf.

"Leave her…" Anders raised his good arm, holding up his knife. "Stay away…"

The man before them didn't find this the least bit amusing. He lifted his foot and swiftly kicked Anders' wounded shoulder. The boy howled in pain while the man reached down and grabbed Elsa by the front of her dress. He pulled her up like a rag-doll to her feet.

Elsa's breath caught in her throat. Suddenly, she felt a cold tingle in her fingertips. Her protective instincts wanted to leap out and defend herself and those around her. That, however, would be dangerous. She glanced around the man before her. Some of the other sailors were still alive, gathered together like sheep for the slaughter in the middle of the ship. One wrong move, and their lives could be forfeit.

"You're a pretty little thing, aren't you?"

Elsa felt her heart pounding a mile a minute.

The man pulled her forward more and let go of her clothing. He circled around her, examining her like a hawk its prey. He paid no attention to Anders writhing in pain on the ground. He circled Elsa a few times, looking her up and down.

"Master Ulfric, we checked the Captain's room—found a few trading goods and a small amount of gold." Another warrior approached. He didn't look any more friendly than the one before her did.

"Damn, almost not worth the effort."

Elsa blinked as she listened to the men speak to one another. It was her language—not a foreign one, yet it was peculiar. Their accents were like nothing she had ever heard before. It was the way she always imagined epic heroes of Arendelle's sagas spoke.

The man who was examining Elsa turned his gaze back to her. "And how many did you find aboard?" He continued speaking to his companion.

"Four dead. Seven taken prisoner."

Elsa closed her eyes, trying to hold back tears. Four were dead—four men with whom she had spent the last three days getting to know.

The man looked Elsa up and down again then glanced over at Anders, "And here's twelve and thirteen." He sharply turned and began to walk way. "Bind them up and get them on board. The sooner we get back, the better."

Before she knew it, hands grabbed her and started wrapping her up in ropes. They were pushed across the deck towards the other ship, but there wasn't a good chance to look at it before they were blindfolded and pushed aboard. From the way it felt, it seemed like all the surviving crew of the Falken was placed in a wooden crate of sorts. They called out to each other, trying to figure out who was alive and who was dead. They were yelled at by their mysterious captors to be quiet so they kept their voices to a whisper.

Many of them were bleeding and wounded, but Anders' condition was the worse. His breathing was ragged and painful due to having his arms tied behind his back while there was still a lodged arrowhead embedded in his shoulder.

It wasn't spoken, but fear hung in the air. Elsa kept her voice low as she spoke. "Don't let them know who I am. I will do everything in my power to keep you safe, but for now, we can't let these people know who I am." The sailors agreed with affirmations barely above a whisper.

"Let's just be quite and listen," Rolf said to his comrades. "Maybe we can overhear something."

And so, they remained relatively quiet for what seemed like an eternity.


	3. Thrall

**The Elder Scrolls: Skyrim had a great influence on the ideas for this story. I have a specific reference or two in the story. See if you can spot it! Happy reading!**

* * *

**Snowpiercer, a Frozen Story**

**Chapter Three: Thrall**

Elsa jolted awake as a hand shook her shoulder gently. Being blindfolded made everything more frightening.

"We've docked somewhere."

Elsa nodded, recognizing Bernhard's voice. "Have you heard anything else?"

Bernhard shook his head, but Elsa couldn't see it. "They keep talking about how they need to be back quickly. For what, I have no idea," He said quietly.

"Where's Anders?" She called out, barely above a whisper. "Is he alright?"

If Elsa could have seen, she would have seen the feverish spell that came over the boy. His face was pale and devoid of color while beads of sweat rested on his brow. Illness overtook him to where it was like he was tossing and turning in a bad dream, but he was still very much awake and aware of the pain in his shoulder.

Rolf held onto the boy while they were held captive. By the touch of his hand, Rolf knew that Anders' condition and fever were growing steadily worse. "He's burning up."

Elsa reached out her hand. "Rolf," She called. He knew what she wanted. He reached out in front of him, waving his hand through the air until he could find Elsa's hand. Once he found it, he guided it towards Anders' forehead. She was quite for a moment, listening to see if any of their captors were close by. Once she believed they were far enough away, she released a small amount of her power.

A cool frost formed over Anders' forehead. She trailed her hand down the side of his face down to the back of his neck. The frost followed her hand. They had been doing this for the last couple of hours; hopefully, it would by Anders some time before he could be looked at by a doctor. She removed her hand and brought it back to her lap.

The sound of footsteps grew louder so they all fell quiet.

"The cargo's unloaded. We've just got to get the thralls out now!" A voice hollered to his companion. The voice was close. Soon, they heard the locks to their cage being unfastened. The wooden door dropped and crashed against the deck. Suddenly, Elsa felt a strong hand grip her arm. One of their captors nearly pulled her out of the cage by his sheer strength. She quickly stumbled to her feet.

They were pushed around the deck by strong and forceful hands. After a few steps, she was pushed towards what felt like a descending platform, and then, her feet touched snowy ground. She and the other sailors were pushed into a huddle, but they remained bound in ropes.

"Get their blindfolds off," A harsh voice hollered. "It'll be easier to move them."

Suddenly, the blindfold was torn off her face. It had been almost a day since she had seen the light so her eyes painfully winced at the exposure. It didn't take too long for her eyes to adjust though. It was nighttime. It took much long for her mind to adjust for things that she had never had seen before came into her view.

They were at the docks of a medium-sized village. The air was crisp and chill and the sky full of stars. The northern lights danced in the sky, illuminating the mountainous backdrop of the village. The village itself was cozy and quaint—wooden houses and buildings were nestled in the hills and were guarded with a large wooden wall around the perimeter. The houses and buildings had high sloped roofs like triangles and had dragon heads, much like the one on their captors' ship, on the intersecting points at the top. Elsa blinked for a few moments, making sure that the sight before her was really true. If she didn't know better, Elsa would have said that they traveled back in time to the time of their ancestors, the Viking raiders, but she did know better—people couldn't travel back in time, could they? Still everything she saw looked as if she and her comrades had been sucked right into the pages of a history book.

"What is this place?" Joakim breathed the very words she had been thinking herself but not without consequences. One of their captors struck him across the face for opening his mouth.

Their captors had already unloaded all the valuables off the ship—their entire supply of rations, the army issued weapons and equipment, sailing gear they managed to salvage before the Falken was abandoned, and Elsa's own personal trunks. The heathens had already broken into her luggage and rummaged through her clothing.

The man, who seemed to be the leader of the group, stepped off the ship. He was the same man who confronted Anders and the Queen while they were trying to hide. This time, however, his steel helmet was off. He still wore the same outfit—skirt of furs and leather with foot wrappings. It was highly doubtful that he had washed it since the last time she saw him, Elsa thought. His long brown hair was mostly matted with a few braids at the sides while his long bread was tied at the end with a small braid. His eyes were dark, almost black, and still looked as cruel as the moment she first laid eyes on them. Once this man came down from the ship, the others stopped what they were doing and paid attention to him.

"Take the rations and weapons to the barracks," He waved his hand at two of his companions, and they immediately replied. "Take the thralls up to the mines, but leave the girl."

Before they could realize what that meant, their captors ceased them by the arms and started dragging them away. Elsa was pulled one way, but the sailors of the Falken were taken another.

"No!" Elsa screamed, trying to wriggle free. "Where are you taking them?"

"It's off to the iron mines for them," The man who had her captive dug his nails into arms as he sneered at her.

"No, they're injured!" Elsa cried. "They need a doctor!"

"A perfect way to weed out the weak ones," One of them laughed.

"Let them go!" Elsa elbowed her captor in the stomach and jerked forward at his slight release. Quickly, he recovered and reached out to grab her. He caught the back of her dress and yanked it towards him. The top right half side of her dress ripped, exposing her undergarments. "No, let them go!" She yelled again, tears welling up in her eyes.

Elsa caught Rolf's gaze. He furrowed his brow. He knew exactly what she was thinking. "Don't worry about us. We'll manage."

Elsa heeded Rolf's words and fought back the icy cool sensation that prickled at her fingertips. "Take care of Anders!" She ceased fighting and pulled her arms up to her chest in an attempt to cover herself.

Rolf nodded, "I will." He was jerked away, forced to look in the other direction while he and the others were marched away.

"Bring the gold and the girl," The leader said. He marched off. One of his companions picked up the small chest of gold that was meant to be given to Albion as a good will offering. She too was quickly dragged along as if she were a piece of cargo as well. She tried the best she could to use the ripped parts of her dress to keep covered, but still, she was exposed enough elicit lustful stares from these strange men. She suddenly felt sicker than she already was.

They entered through the gate of the small village. Her captors were well known to the guards who called out their names and exchanged warm greetings with them. She was quickly pushed along the quiet streets towards the center of town. From there, the only noise that could be heard seemed to radiate from that direction. As they approached, Elsa could hear the sound of singing and merriment in the night air. They came before a large building in the center of town—larger and more prominent than any of the other buildings in the village. It was rounded and long shaped as if an entire ship had been overturned and was used as a roof. The outside was well lit with braziers and decorated with the shields of warriors all around the circumference of the building. On this quiet night, it seemed like this building was the only place any life could be found.

The great doors were pulled open, and Elsa was led into the building like a precession of warriors returning home from victory with their captives and prizes in tow. The building was warm and well lit by roaring fires. The smell of roasted meat, smoke, and mead hung heavy in the air. The ceiling rose high above them, catching the light from the many fires lit inside. Immediate shouts and toasts rose up as the band of warriors returned home victorious. Steel mugs were raised in their honor, sloshing drinks all over the tables and floors. Similarly dressed warriors filled the many benches inside the building while women moved up and down the aisle ways passing out drinks and plates of food to others. Multiple women at different locations were being harassed by their patrons while others embraced the attention and indulged in their passions without a care as to who saw them.

The leader raised his strong muscular arms in the air, signaling that he wished for silence. Soon, the cheers and shouts died down as everyone in the building turned his or her attention to him. "I have returned to Jorrvaskr in triumph!" The cheering began again as more mead sloshing took place. "I have taken our enemy's ship, plundered their valuables, and made them our thralls!" He turned to one of his companions. Elsa watched as the companion handed over a small flag to the leader. He unfolded it and revealed it to the crowd—it was the flag of Arendelle. "Arendelle shall break at our might and burn at our feet!" This stirred the crowd up even more, and in the heat of the moment, the leader walked into the middle of the room towards the main hearth. He threw the flag into the fire. Everyone cheered louder and stronger.

Elsa felt a knot in her throat. They knew about Arendelle. These people knew her home, and for unknown reason, watching the flag of her home and her country burn was exciting to them. Did they know who she was? The thought frightened her so much that the familiar chills of fear began running down her arms into her fingertips. Elsa shut her eyes tightly. "_Conceal. Don't feel."_ She said to herself. "_You can't let it show here._ _You have to hide it. You have no idea what kind of danger you're in right now." _These words were always easier said than done.

The crowds inside the building turned back to what they were doing before. The leader returned back to his comrades. "See, boys, everything is fine," He said, sounding the happiest yet.

"I'm glad we made it back before Stormblade," One of the warriors said. He nodded towards the other side of the building.

Elsa's eyes followed his motion. At the other side of the hall, there was a raised platform with an intricately carved wooden chair. It was empty.

"The fool's probably out in the mountains again," The leader spat.

"He is the_ Jarl_, Ulfric," One his comrades said.

"And the _Prince_," Another spoke up.

Prince? Elsa's eyebrow went up. What country were they in exactly? It wasn't like any country she had seen or heard of before.

Ulfric, leader of the raiding party, scowled at his men. "And who is it that brought us gold and thralls today?"

"All I'm saying is that we better be careful, Ulfric," One of the men said. "Coming into the mead hall and announcing what we did probably isn't the way we want to do things right now."

Ulfric thought for a moment before a wide smile appeared on his face. He slapped his comrade on the shoulder. "There. There. We're home now. Let's celebrate and have a good time. Yeah?"

The man nodded.

Ulfric looked back to the man holding the chest of gold. "Take the chest to my table." His eyes then fell upon Elsa. His lips curled into a smile. "Take the girl to the back. Get her some clothes and put her to work.

Again, Elsa found herself shoved around roughly as orders were obeyed. She was dragged through the mead hall as men noticed her presence and worse of all, her ripped garments. She was taken towards the side of the hall and brought into another room. Once away from the crowd, the man took ahold of her dress and tore it violently. Elsa shrieked as she became exposed to the cold air. She felt to the ground from the force of the tear.

The room was not empty though. Male and female thralls worked tirelessly to cater to the warriors of the mead hall. They did all the cooking, cleaning, drink serving, and whatever else their masters wished of them.

"Get some clothes on her and put her to work," The warrior barked at the other thralls. He turned and headed back into the mead hall to celebrate with his companions.

Elsa curled up into a ball on the floor trying to cover her exposed flesh. The only people who on earth who had seen her that exposed were her deceased mother and her governess, Gerda—and even that was under the age of five. Fear had always told her to cover up, and fear was screaming at all of her senses right now. Elsa gasped in fear as one of the servants, a middle aged woman, approached her. The servant just rolled her eyes and tossed a folded up wad of fabric at Elsa. "Here! Put it on," The woman's rough voice snapped.

Elsa snatched up the clothes. She quickly unfolded it to see what was given to her. A lump formed in her throat. It was a dress—barely. It was more like a leather girdle with some embellishing fabrics to leave just enough to the imagination. The sight of it made her want to burst into tears.

"Are ya deaf?" The woman hollered. "Put the damn thing on and get moving!"

Elsa quickly slid the thing over her head. At least her stomach would be covered, she tried to console herself. She slid the leather straps up and adjusted the turquoise blue fabric that covered her breasts—at least half of her breasts anyway. The skimpy skirt had slits on both sides, running almost all the way up to her waist. She tugged on it a bit, trying to make it cover as much as possible. All that was left was to tie up the leather girdle in the front. It was difficult for her fingers to work intricately to tie the strings when the sensation of icy blasts wanted to escape from them. She barely finished the trying the bow when the servants pushed her back into the mead hall with them.

The men sitting at the tables were loud, rude, and impatient at the best of times. The screamed and hollered for more mead and meat, and while they waited, they whistled and cat-called to the servants they found pretty. There would be no way out of this anytime soon, and she had to be careful. Her actions would very likely have an effect on her sailors who were sent to the mines. She had to conceal her feelings for the greater good and get the job done. And so, Elsa Tryggvason, the Snow Queen of Arendelle, worked as a barmaid in Jorrvaskr Mead Hall.

She steeled her focus and her will-power to keep at the task at hand. "_The one with the scar wants another pint of mead, the uglier than usual one wants more meat, the old one lost his boot" _were the kind of mental notes Elsa had to keep in her mind to keep it all straight. It was best not to dwell on the lustful stares, the crude comments, or the wandering hands that reached out as she passed.

Elsa was called towards one of the tables near the front. Ulfric, the man who brought her to this miserable place, sat with his comrades across the table and a woman at each side. The gold that was to be a gift to Albion was sprawled out over the table for all to admire. As Elsa approached, ready to take orders, Ulfric looked up.

His wolfish grin was very unsettling, but he said nothing. He merely continued to stare at her as he took a deep drink from his goblet. Mead spilled onto his long beard. He released a loud "ahhh" as he finished his drink.

Elsa's eyes drifted to the floor. She was called over here, but nobody was giving her any orders. Everyone merely seemed content with watching Ulfric stare her down like prey.

"Come here," He said, putting down his goblet.

She obeyed and walked around to his side of the table. Her eyes remained glued to her feet.

"What's a pretty little thing like you doing out on the sea?" He rose up from his seat. His hand went under her chin, guiding her gaze towards his.

Elsa took a few moments to answer. Ulfric thought perhaps that she was scared and shy—and to a degree that was true, but he had no idea that she was also fighting down the urge to send an ice spike right through him. She hated to be touched—she feared it even. Her touch always meant bad things would happen. "Traveling," was all she was able to muster up.

"Traveling?" He repeated with a bemused smirk. His hand traveled a little lower—his fingertips grazing across her throat. Slowly, his hand wrapped around her neck.

Fear choked her and she fought with herself to keep from trembling.

"Traveling," He repeated. "Where to?" Ulfric's hand trailed a little lower, slowly brushing past the place where her collarbones met and moving dangerously close to her exposed chest. His index finger started to dip into her cleavage.

All the fires in the mead hall started to flicker violently. Nothing special seemed to take place, but it seemed as if the light started to die. Chills started to sweep through the place, but the doors were not open. Just for a brief moment, the merriment died down as each one began to look at his or her neighbor—searching for confirmation that something in the air changed.

Elsa winced, closing her eyes tightly. _Conceal! Don't feel! Conceal! Don't feel! _She screamed her old and tired mantra to herself, trying to keep her fear inside. She kept her fists balled at her sides, trying not to release the magic within.

Suddenly, the back door of the mead hall flew open, slamming against the wall. Silence fell quickly over the loud and rowdy lot. There was only one person who used the door next to the empty chair at the head of the hall.

"Jarl Torbjørn!" Ulfric removed his hand from Elsa's chest, forgetting all about her. His hands went up into the air, welcoming the man who stood in the doorway.

Swallowing the hard lump in her throat, Elsa regained her composure and turned her attention towards the man at the doorway.

He was tall and muscular compared to any man in Arendelle, but around these men, he was small in stature. Yet, his presence commanded the upmost respect and attention of everyone in the mead hall. He stood in the doorway surveying the hall with his hardened gaze. His golden hair was pulled back into a messy bun, and his beard of the same color looked like coarse wool against his face. His sapphire blue eyes scanned over the hall, clearly expressing his displeasure. His clothing was rather simple. His tunic was dark blue and trimmed in patterns that very much reminded her of one of Arendelle's own designs, and his outer cloak was the same shade of blue. He did, however, wear a white fur over his shoulders like a shawl. He had a longbow on his arm with a quiver of arrows on his back, and his sword was faithfully at his side. He was unlike anything she had ever seen before.

Ulfric continued forward towards the man. "How was your hunt, my Jarl?"

The man moved swiftly into the hall. The servants scurried forward and closed the door behind him, blocking out the cold night air. The noise and comradery began again and within moments was back to its normal volume.

The man came up to Ulfric. "I've been hearing reports that the longboats were out while I was away…" He paused, in order to emphasize his next few words. "…even though I specifically ordered them to remained docked."

"Not even the fiercest army could dispel rumors, my Jarl," Ulfric interjected.

"You deliberately set sail with MY longboats! Against my orders!" The man said, trying to keep the fury in his voice at bay, but Elsa and those present at the table could hear loud and clear.

"The King has asked us to make ready for war," Ulfric said. "I was out gathering resources to prepare for what is to come. I was obeying our _King_."

The man's brow furrowed at the mention of the word "_king_."

Ulfric motioned back towards his table of companions. "We managed to take down a merchant ship from Arendelle herself." He reached down and scooped up a few gold coins into his hand. "We took their gold, and we took them as thralls—a sign of what is to come!"

The man still looked cross. "It is not gold gained in proper victory. It will be placed in the village fund immediately, and none of you will share in it spoils."

Ulfric and his comrades stared blankly.

"Now!" The man barked.

Ulfric's men quickly began picking up the gold pieces and putting them back into the chest. They scurried away as quickly as they could.

The two men were left standing alone. "You would do well to remember whose village this is, and who's in charge around here."

"Yes, Jarl..." It seemed as though Ulfric was about to choke on the words "…Torbjørn."

Just when she thought the conversation was over, Elsa found herself the center of attention. The man, known to the others as Jarl Torbjørn Stormblade, turned his gaze towards her. Elsa's eyes rose up and locked with the man standing before her, but just as quickly, she tore them away.

"Who is she? Where did she come from?" Torbjørn asked, still not happy.

"My Jarl," Ulfric's tone changed into a gentler demeanor. "She was found on the ship from Arendelle. We brought her back as a thrall along with seven others."

Torbjørn didn't answer. He continued to watch Elsa as she slightly shifted on her weight from one foot to the other, still keeping her humble demeanor.

"She's a fine-looking one, isn't she?"

"When I want you to state the obvious, I'll call for you," Torbjørn snapped. He took a step closer to Elsa. "What is your name, thrall?"

Elsa looked up. "El…" She began, but her eyes just about bulged out of her sockets. She let the first name she could think of that began with "El" roll off her tongue. "…lisif. It's Elisif. My name is Elisif," She insisted.

Torbjørn's eyebrow rose. "Elisif? A bemused smirk appeared on his face as she stumbled through her words.

Elsa decided it might be better to just shut up so she nodded.

The man didn't say anything. He continued to study her with his hawk-like gaze and wide smirk. Elsa stood quiet, allowing him to do so. His thoughtful eyes were like the brightest and most beautiful of sapphires, and even though it might be more proper for her to look away, she found that she couldn't. She matched his gaze equally, waiting for his response.

"What do you want to do with her, my Jarl?" Ulfric interrupted.

Torbjørn snapped out of his thoughts while Elsa looked away, back down to her feet. The young Jarl turned towards Ulfric. "Put her to work." He then made his way to the wooden throne at the head of the mead hall. He took his seat as Jarl of the Hold, and all those present in the mead hall raised their glasses and toasted to his health and fortune.

Elsa, however, was sent back to work fetching mead, pouring drinks, and taking orders for a bunch of rowdy, inconsiderate, inhospitable barbarians. It was going to be a long night, and worst of all, she was no closer to helping her sailors or finding out where she was.

* * *

Despite being from the royal family, Elsa's parents always taught her to be kind to the servants of the palace and to those in a lower station than herself. More than ever, tonight Elsa saw the wisdom in her parents' words. Serving as a barmaid in Jorrvaskr had to be one of the most difficult and humiliating experiences of her entire life. There never seemed to be an end to the needs of the warriors seated inside the mead hall. They were always hungry and thirsty and always too lazy to get it themselves. None of them ever seemed to go home either. They only got up to move to a new group of friends and the whole process for drinking and dining began again.

The hour had to be late by the way the fires were dying, but there still was a great number of warriors wishing for food and drink. Elsa carried yet another load of mugs in her arms towards the back of the hall. Within a couple of hours, Elsa became adept at carrying eight mugs in one load. She came up to the table and started unloading the mugs.

"Ah, that's the little_ wench_ we brought back," One of the men at the table said.

Elsa pursed her lips as she glanced. It was one of the men who attacked her ship and brought her and the other sailors to this godforsaken place. The thought that this particular man could be the one who murdered her sailors made her stomach turn, but she had to serve him and his friends as if nothing was wrong.

One of the warriors sitting there had his hand on the bench, but it came up and brushed against the exposed skin of Elsa's leg. Her body shuttered, sopping mead onto the floor. "Don't touch me!" flew right out her mouth.

The man was too drunk to be offended. Instead a hearty laugh rumbled through him and the others joined in with him. He ignored Elsa's words and continued to touch, moving up further.

Elsa inhaled sharply.

"Hey!" One of them complained. He stared into his mug. "The mead's frozen!" He started showing his mug to the others at the table. The mead inside his glass was a block of solid ice.

"What are ya bringin' us frozen mead for?" One of the men snapped at Elsa. He looked at his companions and shook his head. "Wenches—not good for _thinking_, that's for sure."

"Yeah, but this one oughta be good for tonight." The man who kept touching Elsa's leg decided to throw his arms around her waist and pull her onto his lap. Elsa decided otherwise. She elbowed him in the face and pushed up off of him.

"You stupid cow!" He yelled as blood started gushing from his nose. Suddenly, his companions came to his defense. They seized Elsa by the arms and restrained her from causing anymore arm.

Elsa closed her eyes. _Conceal. Don't feel. Conceal. Don't feel._ The tears that started to form in the corner of her eyes started to freeze. Cold ice formed in her palms returned as fear and anger surged in her soul. She knew this feeling. She knew what was about to happen. Soon, her ice would silence everything, and then, there would be quiet.

At the front of the mead hall, the Jarl of the hold, Torbjørn Stormblade, sat upon on his wooden throne, intricately carved to tell the stories and legends of his people. Tonight, he slumped in his chair, looking rather bored, as he lazily watched the festivities before him. He had been working on the same pint of mead for the last hour and was about to take another drink before he looked up and saw something in the back of the hall. He slammed his mug down and stormed out of his seat.

"Girl needs to learn her place," One of the men snickered as he ran his hands over the curvatures of Elsa's hips.

"Stop," Elsa breathed. "Just stop," She commanded, not able to warn them of the danger that was coming.

"Which one of us will have the honor of being her teacher?"

"What's going on here?"

Elsa opened her eyes. The man known as Jarl Torbjørn stood before her and the men. His eyes darted back and forth between Elsa and the men, already guessing the answer to his question.

"My Jarl, this thrall was causing some trouble," One of the men spoke up.

The Jarl smirked, almost laughing. "A woman is causing_ you_ trouble, Radulf?"

Radulf turned a bright shade of red. "She…she…brought us frozen mead."

"And she hit me," The man with the bloody nose said while pinching his nose.

Torbjørn continued to survey the disturbance before speaking. His eyes finally rested on Elsa, whose chest was still heaving with emotion. "Take her to Bilskirnir."

The room filled with oohs and much laughter after that. The men who had their hands on Elsa began to laugh as well. Elsa turned her head and watched as they mocked and jested. Perhaps she was not safe after all.

"Where are you taking me?" She gasped as the men started to pull her away. "What are you doing with me? Let me go! Let me go!" She kept her eyes on the Jarl, but he ignored her, turning back to his chair at the head of the room.

Elsa was passed off to two men at the main door of the hall who served as guards. They were given the Jarl's instructions, and they followed them obediently. They each took a hold of Elsa by the arm and pulled her along. Soon, they were outside into the cold night air. They led her away from Jorrvaskr, the mead hall, through the abandoned streets of the village. After walking for a few minutes, they came to a large house near the edge of town.

One of the guards pounded his fist into the door. He repeated the process several times until the door opened up. A tall, but elderly, man came to the door holding onto a candle. "Yes, my Lord?" He asked.

"The Jarl wanted this thrall brought her." The guard practically tossed Elsa into the doorway.

"Yes, my Lord," He answered. He reached out and placed a gentle hand on Elsa's shoulder. He wanted for a moment as the guards walked away. "Come this way, child." He said, leading Elsa into the house.

The house was completely dark save for the candle that the old man held. He knew his way around the house however, and he sat the candle down on a small table near the door. He closed the door behind them then turned to Elsa.

"What is this place? Where am I?" Elsa looked around frantically, but couldn't make much out in the darkness.

The old man picked up the candle and illuminated their faces. Once he saw Elsa's face, his brow furrowed. "Princess? Princess Elsa?"

"How do you know my name?"


End file.
